Courses
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Elective Module 1: Research in Natural Science: Theory and Practice (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 6 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are able to formulate scientific questions and hypotheses and to plan and conduct experiments in the laboratory based on classic microbiological experiments. They get an insight into the historically important developments in microbiology and into basic aspects of the philosophy of science and gender research.
Elective Module 2: Bacterial Physiology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students can plan, carry out and interpret complex experiments on bacterial enzymology, the kinetics of growth, the production of secondary metabolites and nitrogen fixation.
Elective Module 3: Bacteriology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students know important, specific and molecular characteristics of bacteria as basis for identifying, classifying, fighting and using them in science and research.
Elective Module 4: Extremophilic Microorganisms (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students know the theoretical and practical fundamentals of microbial adaptation strategies in extreme habitats. Students can plan, carry out and interpret related experiments.
Elective Module 5: Anaerobic Microorganisms (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students understand the specific features of anaerobe metabolic processes, are able to cultivate anaerobe microorganisms (bacteria and archaea) and can plan and conduct related experiments and interpret the results.
Elective Module 6: Molecular Microbiology and Genetic Engineering (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are familiar with the theoretic fundamentals of molecular microbiology and microbial genetic engineering and can apply their knowledge for genetically modifying and characterizing prokaryotes and low-level eukaryotes. Students are able to independently apply working methods of molecular biology, make protocols and interpret and discuss their results.
Elective Module 7: Molecular Phylogeny and Biochemistry of Fungi (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 4 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are familiar with the fundamentals of molecular phylogeny and can apply them in practice. They have an understanding of molecular mechanisms in signal transduction and of biopolymer degradation by fungi and have knowledge of the current state of research.
Elective Module 8: Fungal Physiology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students can grow filamentous fungi in a bioreactor, record a growth curve, watch the concentration of the main nutrients and calculate and interpret quantitative parameters for describing their growth process, their physiological state and product formation.
Elective Module 9: Biodiversity of Fungi and and Fungi-like Protists (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students get familiar with selected groups of eukaryotic microorganisms by studying examples. They understand the ecological and economic importance of different organisms from various groups.
Elective Module 10: Medical Mycology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are able to recognize the most important pathogens of mycoses. They are familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of classic diagnostic methods (cultivation techniques, morphology, histology) and molecular diagnostics.
Elective Module 11: Food-borne Fungi (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are familiar with the most important methods for detecting and identifying of food-borne fungi and know how to prevent damage. They are able to check the quality and origin of fungal food and food made by the aid of fungi.
Elective Module 12: Fungal Diversity of Terrestrial Habitats (5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are able to recognize fungi in a selected habitat. They can classify the most common and important types of fungi there and identify their species and class. They are able to recognize important morphological features and are familiar with basic microscopic techniques for identifying fungi. They are also familiar with the ecological function of selected groups of fungi and can apply this knowledge - based on typical features - to other groups of fungi.
Elective Module 13: Mutualistic Symbiosis (7.5 ECTS-AP, 5 SSt.)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students understand the function and importance of mutualistic interactions of organisms with the example of mycorrhiza. They are able to plan, conduct and interpret the results experiments in the outdoors, take samples, quantify mycorrhiza systems and to identify the symbiotic partners by using classic and molecular methods.
Elective Module 14: Soil Microbiology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students can independently examine current issues in soil microbiology by applying pedological, chemical, micro- and molecular-biological methods and to interpret the gained results in a statistically sound way. Students understand the varied functions of microorganisms in soil and understand their importance for the global cycle of materials. They understand soil as precious resource for all terrestrial ecosystems that is worth protecting.
Elective Module 15: Microbial Ecology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students understand scientific papers in the field of microbial ecology and are able to present them abridged to an audience. Having planned and conducted experiments and analyzed the data, students are able to understand and describe the structure and function of microbiota.
Elective Module 16: Environmental Microbiology 1 (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are familiar with theoretical and practical fundamentals of the impact of pollutants on microorganisms and understand the biotechnological importance of these environmental-microbiological processes. They are able to plan, conduct and analyze experiments and to interpret the results.
Elective Module 17: Environmental Microbiology 2 (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are able to investigate microbiota of different habitats and microbial activities during biological degradation of natural materials with DNA and RNA-based methods. They are able to plan and conduct experiments and interpret the results with respect to classic microbiological methodology.
Elective Module 18: Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are familiar with the fundamentals and techniques applied in molecular fungal biotechnology and have knowledge of the relevant cell biologic processes and methods required for strain optimization. They are familiar with basic molecular working techniques and are able to interpret, document, present and discuss experiments in molecular biology.
Elective Module 19: Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology (5 ECTS-Credits, 3 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are familiar with the most important fundamentals of biotechnical processes. They recognize the area of conflict between modern biotechnical possibilities and the ecological and social (regulative) framework based on examples of medical biotechnology.
Elective Module 20: Applied Bioprocess Engineering (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 6 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: With the intensive investigation of a practical problem relating to bioprocess engineering students learn about the most important components of project work from task definition, making of a project plan, coordination of a project team, formulation and communication of the state of knowledge, conducting of experiments including protocols to the interpretation and presentation to the client.
Elective Module 21: Waste Management (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students know about the importance of recycling of biowaste. They are familiar with the legal framework and the ecological requirements. They also have an in-depth, application-orientated knowledge of one of the methods of biomethanization.
Elective Module 22: Phytopathology and Plant Protection (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are familiar with the fundamentals of integrated plant protection. They understand the interactions between phytopathogen and plant and know about the possibilities of biological pest and disease control in agriculture. They know about the requirements and quality standards of biologic agents that are necessary for applying them in plant protection, they can assess risks and know how to organize studies in effectiveness.
Elective Module 23: Geomicrobiology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are able to work out the theoretical and practical fundamentals of geomicrobiology and to discuss and present their ecological and biotechnical importance. They are familiar with cultivation-technical and analytic methods for conducting geomicrobiological experiments and are able to present and interpret the results.
Elective Modulel 24: Food Microbiology (7.5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: With experiments that are closely related to practice students gain in-depth knowledge of food production by using biotechnological processes, they are familiar with prevalent micro- and molecular-biological methods for quality assurance and are able to recognize spoilt food and assess it based on respective regulations.
Elective Module 25: Microbiology in Practice (5 ECTS-Credits, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: On visits to businesses in the fields of environmental technology, food biotechnology and pharmaceutical biotechnology students learn about the theory and actual use of microorganisms and the role of microbiologists in practice.
Elective Module 26: Medical Microbiology (5 ECTS-Credits, 4 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students are able to describe and discuss medical aspects of microbiology and of the human microbiome. They are able to independently deal with specific questions by using scientific methods.
Elective Module: Special Aspects of Medical Microbiology (5 ECTS-Credits, 4 h)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students recognize and understand special aspects of immunobiology, toxicology and virology.
Elective Module 28: Selected Chapters of Microbiology I (2.5 ECTS-Credits, 1 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: In this module, which is offered now and again, students get in-depth insights into sub-disciplines of microbiology or related sciences that are not covered by electives modules 1-27.
Wahlmodul 28: Selected Chapters of Microbiology II (5 ECTS-AP, 3 SSt.)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: In this module, which is offered now and again, students get in-depth insights into sub-disciplines of microbiology or related sciences that are not covered by electives modules 1-28.
Elective Module 30: Special Topics of Microbiology (7.5 ECTS-AP, 5 h)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: none
Learning Outcome: Students have knowledge in special topics of microbiology and related sciences.
A module from another Master Programme of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Innsbruck can be passed.
Elective Module 31: Module from Other Master Programmes of the Faculty of Biology (5 ECTS-Credits)
(no courses)
Prerequisites for registration: the prerequisites of the respective curricula do apply
Learning Outcome: The objectives defined by the respective module give the students insights into another field of biology.
Courses corresponding to 7.5 ECTS-Credits and providing to availability of places can be freely chosen from the curricula of the Master and/or Diploma Programmes at the University of Innsbruck.
Elective Module 32: Interdisciplinary Skills (7.5 ECTS-Credits)
Prerequisites for registration: the prerequisites of the respective curricula do apply
Learning Outcome: This module serves to expand the study programme and to acquire additional qualifications.
Notes:
- There may still be changes in the courses offered as well as room allocation and course dates.
- The course descriptions found in the English version of the course catalogue are for informational purposes only. Authoritative information can be found in the "Vorlesungsverzeichnis" (German version of the course catalogue).